Bill > S1616

This bill updates and modernizes the room occupancy excise. Key provisions include: 1. Defining various terms related to the room occupancy excise, such as "bed and breakfast establishment," "hosting platform," "transient accommodation," and "operator's agent." 2. Imposing a 5% state-level excise on the transfer of occupancy of a room in a bed and breakfast establishment, hotel, lodging house, transient accommodation, or motel. Cities and towns can also impose a local excise tax of up to 6.5% (6% for other cities/towns). 3. Allowing the Commissioner of Revenue to enter into voluntary collection agreements with hosting platforms or operator's agents to collect and remit the excise on behalf of operators. 4. Requiring operators to obtain a certificate of registration to operate a bed and breakfast, hotel, lodging house, transient accommodation, or motel. 5. Exempting certain types of lodging, such as at federal, state, or municipal institutions, from the excise. The bill aims to update and modernize the existing room occupancy excise law to account for the growing "sharing economy" and the rise of short-term rental platforms.

Budget and Finance

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/S1616